Strategic Defence Review
 | This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (October 2010) |
The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) was a British policy document produced in July 1998 by the
Labour Government that had gained power a year previously. Then Secretary of State for Defence, George Robertson, set out the initial defence policy of the new government, with a series of key decisions designed to enhance the United Kingdom
's armed forces.
Two of the largest defence procurement projects were excluded from the 1998 SDR, the Vanguard-class Trident submarines and the Eurofighter. However the Trident system was essential to maintaining a credible nuclear deterrent, a policy adopted by Labour, and was already nearing completion. Likewise the Eurofighter was nearing production and withdrawal would lead to loss of considerable investment and severe penalties from the partner nations.
Its overall strategic conclusions were that the
Bosnia) while retaining the ability to mount a second substantial deployment - which might involve a combat brigade and appropriate naval and air forces - if this were made necessary by a second crisis (as in Operation Veritas in Afghanistan). It would not, however, expect both deployments to involve warfighting or to maintain them simultaneously for longer than six months. The Armed Forces must also retain the ability, at much longer notice, to rebuild a bigger (pre-Options for Change) force as part of NATO
's collective defence should a major strategic threat re-emerge.
The next wholesale review of the British Armed Forces was the Strategic Defence and Security Review of 2010.
Summary
- Harrier Force
- Lightning II' Joint Combat Aircraft.
- Aircraft carriers
- The current three Invincible-class aircraft carriers were to be replaced by two new larger and more flexible aircraft carriers. These ships, the Queen Elizabeth class (known at the time of the review as CVF) entered service in 2017 and 2019.
- Mobility
- To increase strategic transport six Airbus A400Mwas selected in 2000. Since that time, with operational tempo increasing the seven year C-17 lease has been extended and the RAF purchased them outright at the end of the lease (together with the acquisition of additional C-17s, bringing the total force to eight aircraft) to operate them alongside the A400M and C130 fleet.
- Royal Navy fleet
- The surface fleet force was reduced from 35 to 32 frigates and destroyers with the withdrawal of Batch 2 Tomahawk land attack missile (TLAM.) The SDR confirmed the purchase an initial batch of three Astute-classsubmarines.
- Nuclear deterrent
- The maximum capacity of the Trident missile system will not be exploited. Approximately 200 warheads will be maintained, reduced from 300. Further the last batch of missile bodies will not be procured, with a total of 58 missiles. The patrols of the Vanguard-class submarines will be limited to one vessel carrying a reduced warhead load of 48 (reduced from 96.) The SDR recommended acceleration of the retirement of the WE.177tactical nuclear weapons.
- Army
- The Challenger 2 tankseach.
- Territorial Army
- The TAwas to be modernised and enhanced to make it more readily deployable and usable, primarily through greater integration with the regular Army. Total numbers were to be cut from 56,000 to 42,000.
- Ground Based Air Defence
- Ground-Based Air Defence would no longer be separated under the Army and the RAF, but consolidated under a single Joint Ground-Based Air Defence Command.
- Support helicopters
- All of the services battlefield support helicopters (around 400) were combined to form the Joint Helicopter Command.
- RAF fast jet force
- The number of frontline aircraft was reduced by 36 (two squadrons) but the MoD reaffirmed their commitment to the Eurofighter. The SDR identified the need for a replacement for the Brimstone and Storm Shadowmissiles was confirmed.
- NBC defence
- An integrated British Army and RAF force, comprising both regular and reservist elements would be formed to specialise in Joint NBC Regimentin 1999.
SDR New Chapter
Following the
September 11th attacks on New York and Washington the Secretary of State for Defence, Geoff Hoon
announced that work would be undertaken on a New Chapter to the Strategic Defence Review. This reviewed again the UK's defence posture and plans to ensure that the country possessed the right capabilities and the right forces to meet the additional challenges faced after 9/11. The review concluded;
- "We need to look further into how we should allocate the investment which is needed, including, for example, to intelligence gathering, network-centric capability (including enhanced strike and Special Forces capabilities and unmanned aerial vehicles), improved mobility and fire power for more rapidly deployable lighter forces, temporary deployed accommodation for troops, and night operations. The significant additional resources made available to Defence in Spending Review 2002 will enable us to take this forward with the urgency that the 11 September demands."[1]
See also
- Strategic Defence and Security Review 2010
- Options for Change (1990 restructuring)
- Front Line First (1994)
- Delivering Security in a Changing World (2003 restructuring)
- Military of the United Kingdom
References
- ^ "[ARCHIVED CONTENT] SDR: A New Chapter - Section 7 - Conclusion". Mod.uk. Archived from the original on February 1, 2006. Retrieved 2010-10-22.